The invention pertains to reclining chairs and more particularly to reclining chairs having extending leg supports.
It is, of course, well known to provide recline and mechanisms for effecting recline in a wide variety of seating apparatuses. Examples of reclining chairs can be found in home and office environments, and in such diverse fields such as medicine and the transportation industry.
Although reclining chairs have achieved widespread use in the home, they have not reached their optimal potential, especially in the workplace and other commercial environments.
It has been discovered by Dr. Sanford S. Golden, one of the co-inventors herein, that a particular open angle seating curve in a recline position provides greater relaxation and less stress than is provided in standard upright seating positions and other known reclining positions. Dr. Golden's open angle seating concept will be discussed below with regards to FIG. 1. Prior patents to Dr. Golden, illustrating the open angle seating curve concept (hereinafter the "Golden curve") include U.S. Pat. Nos. De. 181,048 (Dental Chair, 1957), De. 182,177 (Deck Chair, 1958), De. 182,178 (Wheel Chair, 1958), De. 182,813 (Transportation Seat, 1958), U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,228 (Chair Constructions, 1961), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,686 (Transportation Chair, 1961). Other curved reclining chairs, not incorporating the Golden curve, may be seen for comparison purposes in the works of Ferro (U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,574 entitled "Adjustable Counterbalancing Structure", 1966) and Mikan (U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,886 entitled "Traction Methods and Apparatus", 1967).
It has not heretofore been publicly known to provide the ergonomicly correct Golden curve to office chairs and the like. To effectively provide an operative Golden curve, leg support function must be provided. However, since much of the work ordinarily performed in an office environment must be done in an upright position, with the seated person's legs dangling vertically or even at an acute angle beneath the seating portion of the chair, the necessary leg supports must not interfere with the seated person's legs when the chair is substantially upright. Although several known chairs provide legrests stowed beneath chair seats (see Luburg, U.S. Pat. No. 282,095 entitled "Reclining Chair" (1883); Larsen, U.S. Pat. No. 1,989,203 entitled "Chair" (1935); and Hendrickson al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,514,447 entitled "Chair and Leg Rest Combination" (1950)) such legrest extension apparatuses were often cumbersome, bulky and ordinarily required manual actuation.
Furthermore, although it is also known to provide reclining means for chairs, including office chairs (see Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 2,028,633 entitled "Seat" (1936); Drabert et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,469 entitled "Chair Particularly a Data Display Chair" (1983); and Different, U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,917 entitled "Chair" (1984)), such known chairs have not served to reduce stress in the workplace environment.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a reclining chair having an ergonomicly preferred seating attitude.
It is a further object of the invention to provide improved mechanisms for effecting chair recline and legrest extension and retraction.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a reclining chair which provides an ergonomicly preferred seating attitude and is additionally well-suited to the workplace environment.